As tolerances on process conditions in semiconductor device processing environments continue to narrow, the demand for improved process condition monitoring systems continues to increase. Heat flux within a processing system (e.g., plasma processing system) is one such condition. Previous heat flux sensor systems include temperature sensors embedded in a material placed at known distance from each other (e.g., in the direction of thermal energy flow). Additional designs include individual temperature sensors placed in a ground cavity within a thin package. The cavities are designed to have different thermal resistances such that a temperature difference exists between the sensors within the cavities when an external heat flux is applied. An additional approach to measuring heat flux includes the use of a calibrated thermopile (array of thermocouples) on or within a substrate material and calibrating the thermopile voltage output in relation to a known applied heat flux. Previous methods are difficult to implement in a thin-profile, high thermal conductivity substrate. Typically, embedded heat flux sensors measure a temperature difference in the direction parallel to the thermal energy flow. In a very thin wafer form factor, the direction of thermal energy flow is axial and placing temperature sensors in appropriate axial orientation is difficult. In addition, the high thermal conductivity of the substrate typically results in temperature differences that may be difficult to measure. In addition, thermopiles output a voltage that is proportional to the heat flux across the thermopile. In some instances, this voltage may fall outside the appropriate range for measurement by an electronic measurement system. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method for curing defects such as those identified above.